Most Schools Reopen in Jordan amid COVID-19 Spike

Refugee students gesture as they learn how to sanitize their hands on the first day of school, amid fears of rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Amman, Jordan September 1, 2020. (Reuters)
Refugee students gesture as they learn how to sanitize their hands on the first day of school, amid fears of rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Amman, Jordan September 1, 2020. (Reuters)
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Most Schools Reopen in Jordan amid COVID-19 Spike

Refugee students gesture as they learn how to sanitize their hands on the first day of school, amid fears of rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Amman, Jordan September 1, 2020. (Reuters)
Refugee students gesture as they learn how to sanitize their hands on the first day of school, amid fears of rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Amman, Jordan September 1, 2020. (Reuters)

Nearly two million children returned to school in Jordan on Tuesday after a five month-absence, although authorities were forced to suspend teaching in some areas due to a spike in cases of COVID-19, officials said.

Several schools for Palestinian refugees and state schools were closed in some neighborhoods of the capital, Amman, after cases doubled in the city of 3 million in recent days.

Authorities hesitated in the last fortnight over reopening schools on Sept. 1 after the country saw over 600 cases within just a week, its highest number of infections since March.

UNRWA, the main UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said at least 115,000 pupils returned to its schools on Tuesday. Classes have been split with half the children attending school the other half learning at home in rotation.

Lessons in a refugee camp near the city of Madaba were suspended after a woman tested positive, officials said.

Although the kingdom has fared better than most Middle Eastern countries with only 2,034 cases and just 15 deaths, the recent uptick has brought fears Jordan could be on the verge of a new wave.

The spike has prompted the authorities this week to toughen a nationwide overnight curfew, close a main border crossing with Syria and postpone the opening of the country’s airport for regular commercial flights.

Although many were happy at schools reopening some parents remained anxious despite measures such as compulsory face masks and social distancing.

“I am very concerned to be honest, the decision (to return to school) with the rising number of cases in the past ten days, worries me,” said parent Mahmoud Farfora.

Financial concerns as a result of the pandemic have forced parents to withdraw at least 40,000 pupils from private schools that educate almost half the country’s school children, leaving teachers in the sector suffering redundancies and wage cuts.



AFP Appeals for Evacuation of Freelance Staff from Gaza

Smoke rises during Israeli strikes amid the Israeli military operation in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, July 21, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo
Smoke rises during Israeli strikes amid the Israeli military operation in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, July 21, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo
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AFP Appeals for Evacuation of Freelance Staff from Gaza

Smoke rises during Israeli strikes amid the Israeli military operation in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, July 21, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo
Smoke rises during Israeli strikes amid the Israeli military operation in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, July 21, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo

Agence France-Presse called on Israel on Tuesday to allow the immediate evacuation of its freelance contributors and their families from the Gaza Strip, citing worsening living conditions and escalating risks to their safety.

In a statement, the French news agency said its freelancers faced an "appalling situation" in Gaza. A 21-month war with Israel has devastated the territory, since Hamas' attack on Israel in October 2023.

"For months, we have been witnessing, powerless, the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions," AFP said, adding that the situation had become untenable despite the "exemplary courage, professional commitment and resilience" of its local team.

The management statement came after AFP's journalists' association issued its own statement saying colleagues in Gaza risked dying of hunger.

AFP said it had succeeded in evacuating eight staff members and their families from Gaza between January and April 2024, after months of effort. It is now seeking to secure safe passage for its freelance Palestinian reporters, despite "the extreme difficulty of leaving a territory under strict blockade".

According to Reuters, Israel has barred international journalists from entering Gaza since October 7, 2023. AFP said the work of its Palestinian freelancers remained crucial to informing the world, but said they now had to leave because of the risk to their lives.

Reuters also works with freelance journalists in Gaza.

"Reuters is deeply concerned about the health and safety of its freelancers in Gaza, with whom we are in daily contact. The extreme difficulty sourcing food is leading to their and all Gaza residents experiencing greater levels of hunger and illness," a Reuters spokesperson said. "We are providing our contributors with additional financial support to help them and, should they wish to leave the territory, we will provide any assistance possible to help them get out."